Stoker control switch



May 15, 1934. TEEPLE Re. 19 ,164

STOKER CONTROL swn'cn Y Original Filed March 26 1930 5 Sheets-Sheet l L. R.TEEPLE.

A TTURNE/ y 1934- Y L. R. TEEPLE STOKER CONTROL SWITCH 5 Sheets- Sheet 2 Griginal Filed March 25, 1930 fl TTU NE/ Re. 19,164v

y 3 L. R. TEEPLE STOKER CONTROL SWITCH 5 Shets-Sheet 3 Original Filed March 26. 1930 g4 TTURNE- W May 15, 1934.

L. R. TEEPLE STOKER CONTROL SWITCH 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 Original Filed March 26, 1930 L i J 1 hi W127 4 TTURNE y 1934. L. R. TEEPLE- STOKER CONTROL SWITCH 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Original Filed March 28, 1930 )4 TTDRNE Reissue d May 1934 UNITED STATES STOKER CONTROL SWITCH Lawrence R. Teeple, Portland, Oreg.

Original No, 1,885,963, dated November 1, 1932, Serial No. 438,980, March as, 1930. Application for reissue September 1, 1933, Serial No. 687,886

'12 Claims (01. 236-46) This invention relates generally to switches for controlling'the operation of stokers', 'and particularly to that form of controls in which the stoker is periodically operated.

The main object of this-invention is to provide a time interval contacting mechanism for stokers which will be coordinated with the usual temperature and pressure controlled switches.

The second object is to secure the periodic operation of a stoker without detracting from the uniformity of the operation .of the usual thermostat or pressure actuated controls.

The third object is to provide a time interval contacting mechanism for use in -conjunction 15 with temperature or pressure actuated controls which will be entirely safe in its operation and which will not cause the stoker to operateuntil a. fixed period of time has elapsed after the stoker has been shut down by its other controls, either 7 for the reason that the temperature is sufiiciently high at the point of delivery or thatthe maximum pressure or temperature has been reached at the point of storage.

The fourth object is to so construct'the device that it will be extremely simple to manufacture and not apt to getout of order.

These, and other objects, will become -more apparent from the specification following as illustrated'in the accompanying drawings, in whichs Figure 1 is a general view including'the various circuits.

Figure 2 is a side view of the mercury switch and associated mechanism.

Figure 3 is a face view of the timedial. Figure 4 is a sectiontaken along the line 4-4. v in Fig. 1.

' Figure 5 is a section taken along the line 5-5 .ofFig.1. Figure 6 is a section taken in Fig. 3.

Figure '7 is a section taken along the line 7-7 in Fig. 1. 'Figure 8 is a section taken along the line 8-8 in Fig. 1.

Figure 9 is a section'taken along the line 9-9 in Fig. '1.

Figure 10 is a diagrammatic view showing the control segment in a midway position. Figure 11 is similar to Fig. 10 showing the control segment released.

Figure 12 is similar to Fig. 11 but showing the segment at the completion of its travel.

Similar numbers of reference refer to similar parts throughout the several views.

In order to illustrate this invention there is long the line v6-6 40 shown a stoker 14 which is operated by a motor 15. The motor 15 is normally controlled by means of a pressure actuated switch 16 working a in conjunction with a double thermostatic element including the temperature controlled arms 17 and l8.- There is also indicated a radia or 19 whichis supplied with heat from the boil r 20 on which is mounted the pressure controlled switch 16.

Turning now to my invention it will be seen to consist primarily of a time interval contacting device which, in this instance, includes a back plate 21 and a front plate 22, which plates are held in spaced relation by the top 23, the bottom 24 and the pillar 25. In the plate :22 is mounted a 'sleeve 26 on whose inner end is mounted a short arm 27 haying its end 28 turned parallel to the axis'of the sleeve 26.

Within the sleeve 26 is mounted a second sleeve 29 on whose inner end is mounted the long arm- 30 whose end 31 is turned inwardly parallel to the axis of the sleeve 29. Onthe outer end of the sleeve 26 is secured an arm 32 whose point 33 is turned backwardly upon itself. On the outer end of the sleeve 29 is formed an arm 34 whose point 35 is turned backwardly upon itself. Between the arms 32 and 34' and their respective points 33 and'35 is placed a dial 36 which is secured to the shaft 3'? which jo als in the sleeve 29 and at its opposite end in the plate 21.

On the enlarged portion 38 of the shaft 3'7 is 'mounted a large gear 39 which is frictionally driven from the shaft 37through the spring arms 40. Meshing with the gear 39 is a pinion 41 on the shaft 42 on which is also secured a gear 43. The gear 43 meshes with the pinion 44 on the shaft 45 on which is-secured a gear 46 which meshes with the pinion 47 on the shaft 48 on which is secured a gear 49 which meshes with the pinion 50 on the shaft 51 of the electric motor 52. Obviously, the spring motor or any time train .could be employed for the purpose without departing from the spirit of this invention.

Journaling in the plates 21 and 22 is a shaft 53, a portion of which is square and provided at one end with a collar 54 which bears the slidable pinion 55 which has a square opening to receive the square portion of the shaft 53 and to be rotated thereby. The pinion 55 is provided with a groove 56 which receives the forked end 5''! of the lever 58 which is pivoted on the pillar 25. The lower end 59 of the lever 58 is placed in the field of the electromagnet 60 which is mounted on the front plate 22. The pinion 55 is urged toward the collar 54 by means of the spring 61 which reacts against the I collar 62 secured on the shaft 53. Movement is of the tips 28 and 31.

supplied to the shaft 53 by means of a gear 63 which is secured thereon and which meshes with a gear 64 on the shaft 42. It is desirable to chamfer and point the ends of the teeth on the side of the pinion adjacent to the collar 54.

Between the plates 21 and 22 is mounted a pivot 65 on which is mounted a segment gear 66 which normally meshes with the pinion 55 and is driven thereby against the action of the spring 67 which is attached to the gear 66 and to the plate 22. On the gear 66 is formed an extension arm 68 having 2. turned end 69 and an car 70 which carries the contact screw 71. On the pivot 65 is tiltably mounted the mercury tube 72 containing the electrodes '73 and 74. The tube 72 is held by means of a clamp '7 5 which forms a part of the double lever 76. whose end 77 is urged downwardly by means of a spring 78 and whose end 79 is provided with a laterally turned-tip 80 which is directly in. the path of the end 69 of the extension arm 68. A stop 81 is provided to limit the downward movement of the end 77 of thelever 76. A stop 82 is provided to limit the downward movement of the segment gear 66. Directly in the path of the screw 71 is a contact arm 83 which is mounted on an insulated is attached-the arm 88 which is held on one side orthe other. of a central position by means of a spring v89, providing a-quick movement for the arm 88 to either of its extreme positions, which' holes can slip the pins 96 which are fastened on the arms 32 and 34.

On the shaft 97 is secured the flanged hub 98 which carries the fiber cam disks 99 and 100. On

8 the outside of the disk 100 is mounted a metal contact disk 101 having a cut-away portion 102.

'and 100 are held in relation'to each otherand to the hub 98'by means of the screw 106 whichpasses through all ofthese members. It is desirable to provide a bushing 107 which keeps the disk 101 from contacting with the hub 98.

- In order to render more clear the wiring diagrams Ihave selected three representative posi-- tions of the device'which are illustrated-in Figures 10, 11 and 12 in the first of which the stoker motor 15 is runningand the segment gear 66 is 65 part wayup; In Figure 11 the stoker motor 15 ls not in operation and the. segment gear has been allowed to drop to a starting position. 'In Figure 12 the stoker motor hasbe'enstarted after a-Iull-length period of inoperation. In' the diagrammatic views shown in Figures 10 to 12'-only tho'se circuits through which: current is flowing 'areshown in full lines, the remainder being-shown in jriotted lines.

hs'previously stated, adouble thermostat isempldyediot: day and night'use and the stopping Tov the roller mountingside of the thermostats 1'7 and 18 are joined by the wire 108 which passes through the pressure controlled switch 16 to the brush 105 from which awire 109 passes through the motor 110 which drives the shaft 97. The wire 109 branches in one direction to the transformer 111 and thence back to the brush 103. From the wire 109 extends a wire 112 to the magnet 60 from which the wire 113 is connected to the screw 71'. From the wire 113 extends the wire 114 which connects with the contact arm .115 which is operated by the cam disk 100. Associated with the contact arm 115 is a. second contact arm 116 which is joined by the wire 117 to thewire 109 and then is joined to the contact arm 83.- I

The thermostatic element 1'7 is joined by means of the wire 118 to the contact point 92 and the contact point 91 is joined by means of the wire 119 to the thermostatic element 18. The arm 88 is joined by means of a wire 120 to the center pole 121 of the pressure controlled switch 16 from which it passes to the center brush 10401 the relay switch including the contact disk 101.

From the stoker motor 15 extends the wire 122 which terminates in a .junction box 123 from which the lead 124 connects with one sideof the transformer 111, the opposite side of which connects by means of the wire 125 to the junction box 126. From the junction box 126 extends a wire 127 which terminates in a contact arm 128'directly in line with the cam disk 99. Over the contact arm 128 is a second contact arm 129 which is joined by means of the wire 130 to the junction box 131. From the box 131 extends the wire 132 to the electrode 74 in the mercury tube 72. From the electrode 73 extends a wire 133 to the box 126.

The box 126 is joined by means of the wire 134 to 1 the line 135 whose opposite side 136 is joined by the wire 137 to the box 123. The motor 52 of the electric clock is joined to the line wires 135 and 136 by means of the wires 138. The start sides of the thermostatic elements 17 and 18.are joined by the wire 139 to the pressure controlled switch 16 to the brush-103. 1

In Figures 10to 12 the manner of disengaging the pinion 55 and the gear 66 is shown in a slightly modified form, namely normal to that shown in the remaining figures, merely for the purpose of making the diagrams more easily understandable.

through the wire 108 to the brush 105 which, at.

this particular moment, has its tip registering with the cut-away portion'102 of the disk 101. In

other words, not making a contact with' the disk whence the current flows'throughthe wire 119 to the starting point, namely the thermostat 181 It will be noted'that during a previous operation the cam disk'99 has closed thecontacts 128 and 129 which complete the circuit through the wires 122 and 122-A of themotor 15 thereby operating the stoker 15. During this time the motor 110 continues to operate bringing the parts to the position shown in Fig. 11 in which the cam disk 99 has permitted the contacts 128 and 129 to separate, thus stopping the motor 15' and'in which the cam disk 100 has caused the contacts 115 and 116 to close, thereby causing curre to flow from the transformer 111 through the ire 112 to the magnet 60 then back through the contacts 115 and 116 to the transformer 111. The energizing of the magnet 60 moves the pinion 55 out of mesh with the gear 66 allowing it to drop to the position shown in Fig. 11. gear 66 to return to its initial point from which I 3 What I claim is:

1. The combination with a stoker, a motor for driving the stoker, and a source of power, of two independently operable means for connecting and disconnecting the stoker motor to and from the power source, thermal means for causing the first of said connecting means to operate in Iccordance with the temperature requirements of a space heated by the stoker, and time controlled means to cause the second connecting means to operate at chosen intervals for a period of time suflicient to keep the fire alive when no calls for This action causes the it will require a fixed period of time to operate not flowing to the motor 110 by reason of the fact that the disk 101 is .dead. The motor 15 is now operated by reason of the fact that its circuit is closed through the mercurial tube '72, this closing operation having been performed by a given number of rotations of the pini n 55 as measured by aperiod of time elapsing since the last breaking of the circuit to the motor 15. I

While there .are a great many possible conditions which may'exist only a few of the common and most repeatedly occurring conditions have been illustrated: for example, only the position of one thermostat during a time at which it is desired to stop the generation of heat is illustrated. Obviously, if a condition arose in whichv it was desired to call for heat the thermostatic element would swing to the opposite side and a corresponding operation would take place.

' with the pinion and the oscillating gear.

Neither has it been found necessary to explain the repeated conditions for the two thermostats-17 and 18, which are merely what is known as day and night thermostats, one being operative during the period represented by the shaded portion of the dial 36 and the other covering the unshaded portion thereof.

It can be seen from the foregoing that I have not only provided a thermostatic control which will operate day and night in which it is possible to have one set of temperature limits for the day period and another set of temperature limits for the night period, but also a control in which the stoker will be periodically operated in co-relation with the thermostatic elements, and more important still that the length of this periodic operation will-always be measured from the close of a cessation in the operation of the stoker motor. example, if the stoker motor should operate continuously for one hour there would be no need of a periodic closing of themotor circuit during this time, but the moment the stoker ceases to operate there will be commenced a measurement of time, for example three hours, and if the stoker motor has not been operated during this period either manually or through the thermostatic ele: ments then will ensue a short period operation of the stoker motor, let us say for two minutes, the purpose of which is to renew theflre and keep same from. becoming extinguished. However, if,

before the three hour period has elapsed, there stoker motor by'either of the two connecting means, whereby the member will be moved to said initial position upon completion of any fuel feeding operation.

2. The device of claim '1 in which the member oscillates and the second connecting means is a mercury switch which is thrown to "on" position at the end of the travel of the oscillating member. f

3. The device of claim 1 in which the motor is an electric motor, the two connecting means are switches, and the body is a pinion.

4. The device of claim 1 in which the body is a pinion, the member'is an oscillating gear, the mechanism includes a train of gears meshing 5. The device of claim 1 in which the last means includes an electric attracting device for withdrawing a gear of said mechanism from mesh withthe proximate driven gear.

6. The combination with an electric motor for driving a stoker, and a thermostat control circuit for energizing said motor, of atime control cir-' cuit including switch mechanism yieldingly urged to off position to stop the motor if heat requirements in a chosen space adjacent said thermostat are satisfied, a control device for moving said switch mechanism to on" position to energize the motor for a definite period after a chosen lapse of time provided there have been no calls for heat from said thermostat controlcircuit,

and means operable with each stopping of the motor for momentarily releasing the switch mechanism from actuation by the control device, said last mentioned means including'a circuit in which is placedsa magnet whichis energizedQ135 whenever. the motor stops, whereby the switch mechanism is moved to initial position upon being released, so that no period of time between any stopping of the motor and the next succeeding startingof the motor shall exceed the chosen 1140 for driving the stoker, a motor energizing circuit including a; switch, cam means forclosing said switch, a thermostat circuit for moving the cam means thru a portion of a. revolution upon reaching a chosen maximum temperature and for moving the cam means thru the remainder of the 360 upon next reaching a chosen maximum, at second motor energizing circuit including a time switch normally held in off position, gear carried means, a constantly rotating train driving said gear means to move in a direction to overcome the normal holding of the time switch so that at the end of a chosen period of time the time switch will move sharply to on" position, and means operatedby the cam means once second means for connecting the motor to the power source and normally held in inoperative position, a time controlled device normally constantly moving from an initial position to move said second means to-operative position after a chosen interval of time, and means for moving the device to initial position with each separation of the motor from said power source.

9. A control for stoker'motors consisting of a motor operating circuit, a time train including means for driving same, a mercurial switch for the motor circuit associated with the time train, said time train having a segment gear for rocking the switch, a pinion normally meshing with said segment gear and driven from said time train, means for resetting said segment gear to its starting point at the completion of or during an intermediate position of its travel, and

contact arms actuated bysaid segment gear.

10. A control mechanism for stoker motors consisting of a time train including means for operating same, a contact indicating dial driven by said time train, day and night circuits covering respective periods of said dial, means actuated by said time train for shifting the control of said circuits, a mercurial switch actuated by said time train whereby a stoker motor can be operated intermittently, and means for resetting said intermittent mechanism in a manner that a period of inoperation of the stoker motor shall commence at the closing of a period of operation thereof.

11. A control for a stoker motor consisting of a plurality of motor driven switching cams with a thermostatic control for the operation of said switching cams, an independent periodically operated motor controlled switch controlled by said cam switching mechanism whereby the Stoker motor can be operated by said thermostat thru said cam switch in response to calls for heat or stopped thereby when sufficient heat is supplied, and a time controlled intermittently contacting device for closing and opening the motor circuit whose cycle of operation commences with a period of inoperation of the stoker motor measured in time from a close of an operat-.

ing period of the stoker motor. 7

12. In a method for keeping a stoker fire alive when temperature requirements are met, and where solid fuel is fed to said fire by a motor in accordance with action of thermal and time controls; that step which consists in moving the time control to initial position immediately after LAWRENCE R. TEEPLE. 

